


Real Dreams, Real Nightmares

by Raindene



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Because Niall Lynch, Blood and Violence, Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Love, Brothers, But Declan's Gonna Have To Go Through IT First, But Mostly Declan, But They Fight Too, Canon Divergence After TRK, Daddy Issues, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Heavy Angst, M/M, POV Multiple, in later chapters anyways, lynch brothers, may add more tags later, parental neglect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:33:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26005750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raindene/pseuds/Raindene
Summary: This year was supposed to be just a normal church watch and Blue certainly hadn’t expected it to be eventful.And it wasn’t, it was just a normal church watch. A church watch like every year prior to the last. But that all changed when her mother turned towards her with a troubled look on her face.“Mom?” Blue asked. “Is something wrong?”Her mother looked away, which was something Blue thought was odd, but she would soon come to understand why her mother was looking away from her.“Declan Lynch,” her mother said, hesitantly. “That’s the final name.”And it was in that moment that Blue knew she had to call Ronan.
Relationships: Declan Lynch & Matthew Lynch & Ronan Lynch, Declan Lynch & Ronan Lynch, Richard Gansey III/Blue Sargent, Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Comments: 16
Kudos: 43





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! First time posting a TRC-fic on the internet, pretty nervous but I think it's good enough to share.  
> I love Declan Lynch, a lot, so this fic is very much for him. This fic was also very much inspired by the amazing TRC community I'm a part of, so big shout-out to them before we get started! I wouldn't have done this without them.
> 
> And now that that's all out of the way, I hope you'll sit down, get something nice and warm to drink, and enjoy the story!

**Blue Sargent**

It was Saint Mark’s Eve and Blue found herself in the same place she found herself every year. An old churchyard outside of Henrietta along with her mother, Maura. This specific church had been built on the leyline, or corpse road, and every year, on Saint Mark’s Eve, Maura would be able to see the spirits of those who were to die in the coming year. Maura would ask the spirits for their names while Blue would write them down. It had always been like that, except for the year before. The year where Blue had seen her first spirit and found her true love, Richard Gansey III.

But that had been a special year and it had been one year since she had met her Raven Boys, Gansey and his friends Adam, Ronan and Noah. This year was supposed to be just a normal church watch and Blue certainly hadn’t expected it to be eventful. 

And it wasn’t, it was just a normal church watch. A church watch like every year prior to the last. But that all changed when her mother turned towards her with a troubled look on her face.

“Mom?” Blue asked. “Is something wrong?”

Her mother looked away, which was something Blue thought was odd, but she would soon come to understand why her mother was looking away from her.

“Declan Lynch,” her mother said, hesitantly. “That’s the final name.”

And it was in that moment that Blue knew she had to call Ronan.

* * *

**Declan Lynch**

There were two things one had to know about Declan Lynch. Declan Lynch lied and Declan Lynch cared fiercely about his family, or what was left of it, at least. He only had his two brothers left, two rather peculiar brothers, and he would go to the ends of the earth to protect them. 

The first brother, Ronan, was a dreamer, someone who could bring his dreams back into reality. His second brother, Matthew, was a dream. A dream who had been dreamt up by Ronan when he was a toddler. Their father had also been a dreamer, and a dreamer with shady business practices at that, while their mother had been dreamt up by him. Ronan and Niall Lynch, the dreamers. Matthew and Aurora Lynch, the dreamt. And then there was Declan, the average one. The only Lynch without anything remotely magical about him and while Declan acted like he was fine with that, he had rather complicated feelings about the subject.

No one knew these things about Declan Lynch and if it were up to him, no one would ever find out either.

* * *

Tonight was not a great night for Declan. His, likely soon to be ex, girlfriend was glaring at him from the other side of the dinner table. They were supposed to have dinner, and then sex, at his townhouse but it seemed like the sex, at least, had been cancelled.

“I can’t believe I found used condoms _Dicklan_. I thought we were exclusive!” She was yelling at him and honestly Declan found the insult less than classy. He had heard it many times before, from many different people. Besides, she shouldn’t have gone into his bedroom without his permission anyways. He would’ve cleaned up before they actually had sex. There had still been remnants from the previous night and Declan had a rule that girlfriends and one-night stands should stay separate. He didn’t like it when people broke his rules.

“You thought wrong,” he said, his voice cold and factual. “Besides, aren’t you only with me because A. I’m incredibly good-looking. B. I’m great in bed and C. You want a hot politician boyfriend you can impress your girls with? You know I fit all those boxes, Ash.”

“How dare you! I can’t believe you’re this full of yourself. You’re a dick Declan. A massive dick. No wonder no one likes you.” 

There was a splashing sound when Ashley threw the contents of her wine glass in Declan’s face with ferocity. Red wine. Declan sighed. He had expected the wine to end up in his face but that didn’t change the fact that it was very annoying. Red wine stains were difficult to remove and Declan had been wearing a white shirt. A rather expensive white shirt.

“Don’t you ever call me again!” She yelled at him, slapping him across the face before storming out of his townhouse. 

Declan shrugged at her words, absent-mindedly putting his hand on his sore cheek. She would be back. They always came back. There was something irresistible about him and he was very much aware of it. Declan wasn’t like his father in many ways, but this was the one way in which he definitely was his father’s son. Besides, the girls he dated were always more bark than bite. They couldn’t keep their hands off of him and he relished in that. It was nice to feel wanted, even if it was in a superficial way.

Declan felt relieved, though. At least his baby brother hadn’t been here to witness this spectacle. Matthew had seen a girl break up with Declan once and he’d been very upset, unable to understand how someone could hate his big brother. 

“You’re the best Dec, I don’t get why people don’t like you,” Matthew had told him while big tears ran down his cheeks and Declan had hugged him until he had stopped crying. Matthew cried very rarely, but when he did, it broke Declan’s heart. He may hate dream things but he could never, ever hate Matthew and he took comfort in the fact that Matthew seemed unable to hate him either.

That’s when Declan could hear his phone ringing, interrupting his memory of Matthew and reminding him that he was still covered in red wine, he even smelled like it. The sheer disgustingness of it brought on a certain sense of annoyance that Declan was all too familiar with.

He looked at his phone with the same annoyance, seeing that the caller ID read “Ronan Lynch”. He was surprised, to say the least. Ronan never called him. Ronan never even really used his phone, even when Declan told him to call once a week. 

> _“The rules are simple Ronan, you call me once a week on Wednesday to tell me how you are, I let you live your life at the barns.”_

Ronan almost never called him on Wednesday and today was not a Wednesday. 

Still, Declan was not in the mood to deal with Ronan’s bullshit today. Tomorrow would be just as good to do that. But that’s when Declan saw his missed calls. Ronan had been trying to call him every 5 minutes, consistently, for the past hour. This concerned Declan deeply so when the phone rang again, he decided to pick it up against his better judgment.

“Declan, fucking finally. What the fuck were you doing? I have been trying to call you!” Ronan was practically yelling into the telephone.

“Now you know how I feel,” Declan snarked, already regretting picking up the phone.

“I need you to come home. To the Barns. Right now.”

“Pardon?” Declan didn’t even bother to hide the surprise in his voice. Ronan hadn’t even responded to his snarky comment.

“You fucking heard me.” 

There was a pause before Declan could hear Ronan’s voice again.

“Please, _Dec.”_

And that’s when Declan realized something serious was going on. Ronan hadn’t called him “Dec” since...before his father had been murdered and when Declan had tried to re-introduce it after they had gotten somewhat closer again, Ronan had just laughed at him.

“Do you need me to be there tonight?”

“Yes. Bring Matthew. Call your fucking job and his school too. You’re going to fucking stay here for a while.”

And that’s when Ronan, in true Ronan fashion, hung up, causing Declan to let out a long, knowing sigh, already thinking of lies to tell his boss and Matthew’s teachers.

* * *

It had been 30 minutes since Ronan had called Declan. Declan had taken this time to call his work, Matthew’s school, get changed and clean the wine off his face. He still smelled like it though, crinkling his nose a little every time he inhaled.

“Dec, I’m home!”

Normally Declan would’ve greeted Matthew in a happier way but now he just turned towards his baby brother, unable to completely hide the frown on his face.

“Pack your things Matty, we’re going to the Barns.”


	2. Declan’s Tarot Reading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Declan didn’t bother to knock before going inside the Barns, Matthew and suitcases in tow. Matthew immediately ran towards Ronan the moment he saw him, wrapping his arms around him while Declan looked around the living room, mortified.

**Declan Lynch**

The drive towards the Barns had honestly been rather uneventful. At first Matthew, sitting happily in the backseat, had been awake. Matthew had been very excited to see Ronan and hadn’t been able to stop gushing about it. Declan had smiled at him and told him that he was too. It had been a lie, of course. He was not excited to see Ronan. 

Once Matthew had fallen asleep, snoring softly in the backseat, Declan’s mind had gotten to work. What could Ronan have possibly done to warrant this kind of action? It was unlike him to call. It was even more unlike him to force Declan to drive down from DC in the middle of the night. What was so bad it couldn’t wait until morning? To Declan’s frustration, he could think of a plethora of reasons, all having to do with his brother’s troublesome dreams.

It must have been around midnight when Declan sighed, seeing his childhood home on the horizon. Still, he pressed on as he drove towards The Barns, parking his car behind the BMW on the driveway and immediately noticing something was off. The BMW wasn’t the only car that was parked there. There was Gansey’s Camaro, along with a cheap-looking car Declan didn’t recognize. God, had Ronan really invited townies to the Barns? What was his brother thinking?

Still, Declan would deal with that momentarily, the frustration melting from his face to make place for a much kinder expression. He had to wake up his little brother first.

“Matty,” he said quietly, nudging his brother’s shoulder gently. “We’re here. We’re _home._ ” 

The word “home” rolled off his tongue like any other lie. Declan hadn’t felt at home at the Barns for a long time. Maybe he never had. His father had always made it clear he didn’t belong here and his mother had always loved the other boys more. Declan wasn’t sure if he even knew what the word home meant. 

He spat as he got out of the car. He needed to get this venom out of his system before his baby brother could see it. To Matthew, Declan was the perfect older brother and he would make sure it would stay that way.

Matthew was still stirring in his sleep, Declan’s previous attempt at waking him up having failed miserably, so Declan crouched down before opening the backseat door.

“Matty,” his voice was louder this time. “We’re here. Come on, wake up!”

Matthew stirred before opening his eyes, looking drowsily at Declan, his voice sounding very heavy with sleep when he spoke. “Home?”

“Yeah, we’re here, buddy. Let’s go get our things and go inside, okay?”

* * *

Declan didn’t bother to knock before going inside the Barns, Matthew and suitcases in tow. Matthew immediately ran towards Ronan the moment he saw him, wrapping his arms around him while Declan looked around the living room, mortified. Ronan, of course, was there. The problem was that Ronan wasn’t the only one there. Gansey and Adam were there. Declan noticed that Adam stood strangely close to his brother. That girl they hung out with, Blue, was there too. Declan could’ve been okay with this, if it had just been the 3 of them, but there were also two unknown women sipping tea at his parents’ dining table. It took every fiber of his being to keep his perfect politician persona on, forcing a polite smile onto his face.

What the hell was going on?

“You must be Declan,” one of the women said, before moving over towards him. She held out her hand, inviting him to shake it. Declan deduced this woman must be Blue’s mother. They looked similar. Black hair and high cheekbones.

“Maura Sargent,” she said, confirming his suspicions while he accepted her handshake. It was surprisingly firm.

“Declan. Declan Lynch. Ronan’s older brother.”

Unlike Maura, who was polite enough to introduce herself to Declan, the other woman just observed him. Declan immediately disliked her. She seemed judgmental and hostile, having already decided that Declan was no good after taking one look at him. She, arguably, wasn't wrong about this. She also had a presence that made it seem like the room revolved around her.

But Declan had a similar presence and he wasn’t about to be disrespected in his childhood home. He walked over to her, stretching out his hand as a challenge.

The woman looked at him, meeting the challenging glint in his eyes with one of her one before shaking his hand, seemingly wincing for a small moment as she did.

“Calla Lily Johnson. You should be grateful we’re even here.”

Declan refused to grace that comment with a response and so he walked over to his brothers, Matthew still attached to Ronan.

“Why don’t you go to your room to sleep Matthew? You must be very tired from our ride here.”

“But I wanna stay up and play with everyone,” Matthew protested, looking at Declan with big eyes that would’ve normally made him give in, eventually. Not tonight though.

“We can play in the morning, Matthew. You, me and Ronan.”

Declan’s voice was authoritative as he said this, making it very clear that Matthew would be unable to argue against this and he didn’t. Sure, he had made a pouty face for a moment but his angelic smile had soon returned before he politely wished everyone good night and skipped off to his old room with his suitcase.

Once Matthew had left the room, Declan turned towards Ronan, anger flashing in his eyes. “You better have a fucking good reason for all of this.”

“He does.”

Declan had expected a response from Ronan, something venomous, but it had been Gansey who had spoken instead. This was probably for the best. Gansey would often mediate between him and Ronan. He was the only one that could, aside from Matthew.

“There is a reason we’re all here Declan but I think you should sit down first.”

Declan sighed before he relented and sat down in one of the chairs in the room. 

“What did Ronan do this time?”

* * *

It turned out that this hadn’t been about Ronan. Ronan, who had been weirdly quiet throughout all of this, Adam still hanging around him. Instead Gansey had explained that Maura and Calla were psychics, psychics that had helped them before, and that they were here to read his future. 

“I don’t see why,” Declan responded, frustration lacing his voice. “I don’t really believe in stuff like this and I don’t need to have my future read by a pair of women I don’t even know.” 

He was called in from DC to have some crooks read his future? Had Ronan been for real? Had this been the emergency? The sheer stupidity of it all caused him to ball one his hand into a fist, held tightly by his side.

“Your girlfriend broke up with you this evening. She threw wine at your face. 2008 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California if I believe correctly. You were thoroughly soaked - quite funny, really.”

It had been Calla who spoke, looking at Declan with a triumphant smile on her face while he was stumped. How the fuck did she know that. Was this some kind of joke?

“Just ask someone to smell your hair if you’re going to try and deny it. They’ll confirm what we both know is the truth.”

Declan glared at her. Mainly because she was right. 

He thought briefly before deciding that the best way forward was to just get this over with. How bad could it possibly be?

“So if I do this, how would this work?”

“We’ll do a Past-Present-Future reading. We’ll each draw one card. Calla will focus on your past, Maura will focus on your present, while I will focus on your future. We’ll each explain the meaning to you when the cards reveal themselves.”

To Declan’s surprise it had been Adam who spoke, joining him, Calla and Maura at the dinner table. He hadn’t been aware Adam was a psychic and he knew a lot about his brother’s friends. For safety reasons, of course.

“Declan. Please.”

And there was Ronan’s voice, finally, causing Declan to look at him in shock. Ronan would never ask him something, let alone say please to him, in public if it wasn’t incredibly important to him. 

“Don’t make me say it again, you asshole.”

And there was the Ronan he knew and loved.

“Fine,” he relented. “I’ve come all the way here, may as well see what kind of intervention you all have planned for me.”

Because honestly, that’s what it felt like. An ambush, an intervention for something Declan wasn’t aware of, and he didn’t like it since it broke another one of his rules. He could see the way everyone was looking at him, they were worried about him. No one worried about him. That was one of his rules. Declan Lynch worries about his brothers; Declan Lynch also takes care of himself.

* * *

Once Declan had agreed to do the reading, the psychics and Blue had gotten the room ready. They cleared the dinner table before putting down some kind of mat with a pentagram inscribed on it. They then burned a candle on every end of the pentagram while Ronan turned off the lights.

“Do you want them to stay?” Maura asked, looking at him directly. “Tarot readings can be a very personal experience.”

“Let them stay, they’re the ones who wanted this in the first place.”

Declan rolled his eyes, partially expecting Maura to respond but she just raised an eyebrow at him before handing him her deck, asking him to shuffle it. When he was done, Calla and Adam handed him their decks respectively. He shuffled their decks as well.

* * *

And that’s when they started. Calla was first, fanning out her deck of cards in front of Declan and telling Declan to turn one over. He did, revealing a card with a young man, sitting under a tree. He looked like he was lost in his thoughts. There was an arm reaching towards the man, offering him a cup, and three cups by his feet.

“The Four of Cups,” Calla told him. “Interesting.”

“What?” 

Declan didn’t understand what the card meant, nor why it was interesting. It was just a heavily saturated image on a card.

“It’s a card that symbolizes contemplation. Someone who’s lost in their thoughts. In your case, I would interpret it more akin to a lost boy. A boy who feels disconnected to everything around him.”

Declan swallowed, not wanting to think about his childhood. This was just a coincidence. It had to be. He nodded, he would play along with this facade. It was just a party trick, he had to keep telling himself that, but he couldn’t help but feel naked. Like the three people in front of him were staring into his soul.

> _“You’ll never be special, Declan.”_

Declan winced a little, the memory of his father’s voice unsettling him. He bit his tongue, the taste of iron filling his mouth. He had to ground himself. Nothing about this was real.

* * *

“Are you ready to continue?”

It was Maura who asked him that question and Declan nodded. Like Calla had done before, Maura fanned her cards out in front of him, offering him to pick one. He did.

The card depicted a burning tower, two people leaping from it’s windows. It was a scene of destruction and chaos and even though Declan was still skeptical, he found it a little unnerving.

“Do you want to know what this card means?”

Declan was surprised at the question, Calla had just thrown the meaning at him but Maura seemed a lot...calmer, more understanding. It made him feel uneasy.

“Yes,” he answered. He could barely recognize his own voice. It had lost its power. One could even say that he sounded a little scared. That was nonsense, of course. Another rule. Declan Lynch did not get scared.

“The Tower can mean many things. Sudden change, chaos, revelations, some even say it can be seen as an awakening.” 

Maura paused. “In your case, I think it’s a warning. Something’s coming, Declan and I’m sorry, because whatever it is. It’s going to change your life forever.”

Declan huffed. He couldn’t believe he was taking this seriously for a moment. “His life was going to change forever”. Yeah, right. Like he would believe crap like that

* * *

He was about to stand up and cancel this entire thing when Adam turned over a card. A card that even Declan recognized. It showed a man, upside down, hanging from a cross. His face serene, like he had made the choice himself. It was The Hanged Man and it was creeping Declan out.

“Sacrifice.”

“Excuse me?” Declan asked, his voice sharp, regaining the bite it had momentarily lost. He could feel himself get angry.

“That’s what it means. That you’re going to have to make a sacrifice.”

* * *

And that’s when Declan stood up violently.

“What the hell?!” 

He was yelling. He was angry. Telling him to make a sacrifice. He had made sacrifices his entire life. Everything he had done was for his brothers. And now Adam and his new psychic sidekicks were telling him to make another sacrifice. As if everything else he had done didn’t even mean anything. Fuck that.

“What the hell is going on? Is this some kind of sick intervention bullshit? Did Ronan put you all up to this to prank me?”

* * *

Normally this would have escalated, Ronan would’ve jumped at him but now everyone just looked at him, seemingly unwilling to say something until finally, Gansey stepped forward. Gansey had always been a voice of reason. Maybe he would put an end to this nonsense.

“Did Ronan tell you about last year? About how I died?”

Ronan had told him. Declan didn’t know the specifics, but he knew about the demon on the leyline and how Gansey had sacrificed himself to stop it. He just didn’t know how that was relevant to this situation.

“They predicted it. They knew I was going to die,” Gansey explained. “Blue and her mother go to an abandoned church every year on St. Mark's Eve and her mother sees the spirits of those who are going to die in the coming year.”

Declan could feel his entire body feel cold. There was no way this story was going where he thought it was going. No fucking way.

“The Barns are tied to the leyline. Therefore if you or one of your brothers were to die, your spirit would show up.”

Gansey’s expression changed. Was he pitying him?

“They saw you, Declan. That’s why we’re all here, to tell you-...”

“To tell me I’m going to die,” Declan said, finishing Gansey’s sentence and letting out a hollow laugh. “Don’t make me laugh. I’m perfectly healthy. Have you looked at me? I’m in the prime of my life. There’s no way I’m going to die.”

He looked around the room. Everyone was looking at him with pity now and it was making him angry.

“Get out!” He yelled when he couldn’t take the pitying glances anymore.

“Get out of my house. I don’t need your psychic bullshit. I make my own destiny. I always have.”

And for a moment the room looked like it was going to explode, Calla and Ronan both looking rather dangerous before Maura raised her hand.

“I think it’s time for us to leave,” she said, motioning towards the door. “Ronan knows how to contact us when you’re ready.”

And with that she set off towards the door, followed by Calla. Blue and Gansey leave soon after, saying their goodbyes to Adam and Ronan before following the two women out of the door.

* * *

The moment everyone had left the room, Ronan turned towards Declan, grabbing the collar of his shirt.

“What the fuck Declan! These people are my friends. They’re trying to help you!”

Declan grabbed Ronan’s wrist in response, tearing it loose.

“Be real Ronan, you don’t really believe this crap, do you?”

Ronan looked him straight in his eyes and Declan could see himself reflected in his younger brother’s pupils. Ronan’s ice blue eyes had always unsettled him because they always told the truth.

“I do believe them. I’ve seen what they can fucking do.”

Declan shrugged before pointing towards Adam.

“I believe I was clear. I told everyone to leave. That includes Parrish even if he’s one of your friends. Gansey and Blue left as well.”

“No.”

“Excuse me? I’m still your older brother, you will listen to what I say.”

“Adam and I are dating. He’s been staying here almost every night lately.”

* * *

Declan took a step back, blinking twice before feeling an explosion of hurt go off inside his chest. He thought he had gotten closer to his brother again but apparently he had been wrong. Ronan hadn’t even trusted him enough to tell him he was dating Adam. Everything made sense now, though, the way they had been lingering around each other for the whole night, the way Adam always seemed to answer Ronan’s phone for him. Declan had respected Adam for that but that somehow made him even angrier. He felt lied to, by both of them.

“Did Matthew know about this?”

“Does it matter?”

“It does.”

“Yes, Matthew knew.”

And that’s when Declan flew into a rage. He had been purposefully kept out of this while his baby brother had known. Declan had been excluded once again. His eyes spewed fire when he looked at Ronan and in that moment Ronan looked just like their father and Declan knew that the only thing he wanted to do was hurt Ronan as much as he had hurt him.

“It’s wrong. You can’t be with another man. It’s against everything we stand for. But it’s rather fitting for you. You’ve always been wrong, an abomination. I will never, ever accept it. Or you.”

And before Ronan could even respond by knocking his teeth out or something similarly violent, Declan stormed out of the room, slamming the door close behind him.

* * *

**Ronan Lynch**

Ronan looked at the door Declan had thrown shut in disbelief. He had thought things had improved them but he had been wrong. Declan had always been a cruel bastard and Declan would always stay that way.

“Fuckin’ Declan,” he spat out. Declan’s name was like poison on his tongue. It made him feel sick. “I’m trying to save his fucking life and this is what he does.”

He could’ve dealt with Declan insulting him. He had been dealing with that all his life, but Declan had crossed the line when he had insulted his relationship. When he had insulted Adam.

“I don’t give a fuck about what my prick of a brother thinks,” he told Adam. “You’re still the most important thing to me.”

“I know,” Adam told him, intertwining their hands. “You’re important to me too.”

Adam looked hesitant, like he wanted to say something but then decided against it in the last moment. Ronan’s sharp edges softened when he saw that. Adam had that effect on him.

“Adam,” he said. “Just say it.”

“Do you think you should talk to him in the morning? After you both calmed down. He may be a dick and I understand if you don’t want to but you always talk about how important your brothers are to you. Even Declan.”

“No,” Ronan said, his voice low. “I just want him gone from this place, from my life, forever. He’s an irredeemable dick.”

Adam kept silent after that, holding Ronan’s hand, but Ronan could see that Adam disagreed with him.

‘Fucking Declan,’ Ronan thought to himself, unable to say what truly bothered him out loud. ‘Why can’t he just fucking accept me for who I am?’

That was all Ronan had ever wanted from Declan, his acceptance, Declan just refused to give it and Ronan realized that he probably never would. That’s why it would be better if Declan just disappeared.

* * *

**Calla Lily Johnson**

“The snake’s older brother is even worse than he is,” Calla told Maura venomously while they were driving back to 300 Fox Way. It was just the two of them. Gansey had taken Blue to Monmouth for the night after reassuring her and Maura that he wouldn’t do anything inappropriate. Gansey seemed more afraid of her though, and Calla took pride in that. 

“I think he’s trying,” Maura said, troubled. “It’s a shame he doesn’t have long left.”

Maura paused briefly before continuing.

“I haven’t told Blue this but his ghost was...heavily mutilated. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Calla huffed, her hands tightening around the steering wheel, thinking back to when she had shaken Declan’s hand. It shouldn’t have been possible, what she had seen, but it lined up directly with what Maura was saying. It was too much of a coincidence.

“Calla?”

Calla’s gift was psychometry. It allowed her to see the past of both inanimate objects and people when she touched them but she had never been able to accurately see their future.

“Did you see something other than Declan drenched in wine courtesy of his ex-girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to tell me what it is?”

Calla knew that Maura wouldn’t press if she said no. They had an understanding between them that was close to sisterhood but this wasn’t just about them. This was also about Maura’s daughter who seemed dedicated to preventing this future.

“I think I saw his future. It should not have been possible but I did. It must be because of that place of theirs. The Barns, they call it? The energy is all wrong there.”

Maura nodded, implying that she had felt it too. There was something very wrong about The Barns that neither of them seemed to be able put their finger on.

Calla shivered as she recalled her vision. Declan had been confined to some kind of tree, thick vines wrapped around his arms, his lower body hidden inside the trunk while his bare chest had been carved with bloody runes Calla had never seen before. The runes had been pure evil though, Calla had been able to sense that much.

Maura looked at her in understanding once she finished describing her vision, confirming what Calla had thought. They had seen the same thing. They had both seen what would remain of Declan Lynch.

“Whatever this is, we will protect Blue from it,” Calla’s voice was determined, she would not lose anyone else. Not after Persephone. If they saved the snake’s family in the process, that would be a nice bonus.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for the prologue and the first chapter!
> 
> I hope that you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! I also want to take a quick moment to thank my beta-reader Eden. She's awesome and really helped me nail some of the tougher parts!
> 
> Anyways, I'll try and update this frequently! Don't wanna leave you guys hanging on that cliffhanger for too long! Let me know what your thoughts in the comments too and feel free to leave a kudo if you enjoyed it!


	3. Contemplation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Declan sighed before slowly allowing himself to sink into his thoughts. He was too tired to resist the influence the Barns had on him. It’s why he didn’t like staying here, it had a habit of bringing up bad memories and made Declan acutely aware that Ronan had always hurt him, even if it had been indirectly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back with another chapter =D
> 
> So, fun fact, this chapter accidentally turned a little bit into a Declan character study. I hope it's enjoyable regardless!
> 
> Also, get dem tissues ready.

**Declan Lynch**

Deep down, Declan does know that he shouldn’t have lost his temper earlier, or at least, not as badly, but he still felt like it had been justified. He had driven down to the Barns in the middle of the night before being told that he was going to die within a year, his brother revealing that he’s gay and dating Parrish being an added bonus. Declan didn’t understand why Ronan wouldn’t have told him. He didn’t actually hate gay people and he certainly hadn’t given Ronan any reason to believe that he did. Honestly, Declan had only told Ronan that he disapproved because he knew it would hurt him. Declan had been hurt too, so it was fair game. That’s how it had always been. How they had always been.

Declan sighed before slowly allowing himself to sink into his thoughts. He was too tired to resist the influence the Barns had on him. It’s why he didn’t like staying here, it had a habit of bringing up bad memories and made Declan acutely aware that Ronan had always hurt him, even if it had been indirectly.

* * *

_ Declan had been 5 years old when his baby brother, Matthew, had been born. Well, born was not really an accurate way to describe it. He had been dreamt into existence by his younger brother, Ronan, and he hadn’t been a newborn. Matthew had started his life as a toddler and Declan, not knowing how to deal with this sudden brother, had thrown a tantrum. He didn’t understand why his parents and Ronan were so overjoyed by this new addition to their household. It was wrong.  _

_ His father had taken him into his office, a place that Declan had never been allowed to enter and he had told him to stop acting out. Declan, afraid of his father, had stopped immediately. His father had that effect on everyone, including his oldest son. _

_ “Your brother has brought the miracle of life into this household, do you understand what that means Declan?”  _

_ “No,” Declan had answered truthfully. _

_ “It means that from now on, you have two brothers. Brothers who are very special. It’s your job to take care of them because you’re the oldest. Can you do that for your father, Declan? Or will you disappoint me? _

_ “No. I won’t disappoint you father.” _

_ “Good, because you have clearly disappointed Ronan. Otherwise he wouldn’t have dreamt up a new brother,” his father had told him, looking Declan straight in his eyes while offering him a handkerchief to dry his eyes. It was a challenge. A challenge for him not to cry again and Declan didn’t. Declan would never cry in public again after that day. _

_ And that’s when his father had brought him to Matthew’s nursery, allowing Declan to meet Matthew for the first time. Declan didn’t want to at first, angry that he had been replaced, but his father had forced him to go in before closing the door behind him.  _

_ When Declan had stretched his hand out to Matthew, his baby brother had grabbed it before putting it in his mouth, sucking on Declan’s fingers. It had tickled and Declan had laughed.  _

_ “I’m Declan,” Declan had told Matthew, causing his baby brother to release his hand while looking at him in wonder.  _

_ “Deccan,” he had repeated, unable to say Declan’s name properly. Not that that had stopped him from trying. “Deccan, Deccan, Deccan.” _

_ “Try calling me Dec,” Declan had offered, causing Matthew’s eyes to grow wide. _

_ “Dec,” he had said before he started laughing happily, moving his tiny body around in an attempt to grab Declan. “Dec!” _

_ From that moment on, Matthew would always call Declan “Dec” and Declan had loved his baby brother with all his heart. He would try his hardest to protect him from harm, he would’ve done so even if his father hadn’t asked him to. Matthew was his baby brother, dream thing or not. _

* * *

Declan sighs, unsure why he remembered that specific moment. His father had always been cruel to him, he was aware of that, and yet Declan couldn’t help but feel like he deserved it. When he looked at Ronan, or Matthew for that matter, he could see that they were special. Declan had never been special, he had just been normal, a fact their father had always reminded him off.

* * *

_ Declan’s 11th birthday had been a birthday that he would never forget. His parents had taken him to get fitted for his first tailored suit and he had been proudly wearing it around the house all day. Matthew had made him a drawing showing him, Ronan and Matthew standing happily outside the Barns. Well, it had really just been three stick figures and a house but Matthew had explained his drawing while hugging Declan close.  _

_ And that’s when Ronan had given him his gift. It had been a black, leather notebook. It looked rather expensive and special, like it wasn’t actually supposed to exist. _

_ “I made it for you Dec,” Ronan had told him proudly. “Just for you.” _

_ When Declan touched the notebook, he immediately noticed there was something weird about it, like it was reading his mind. It scared him.  _

_ “Look inside,” Ronan had urged and Declan had opened the book. There had been writing in it. Declan’s handwriting saying: ‘I’m scared.’ _

_ “Now you never have to write down your notes again! I know how much you like taking notes!” _

_ And that’s when Declan had dropped the book on the floor and Ronan had looked upset with him. Soon after his father had beckoned him away to his office for the second time in Declan’s life. _

_ “What the hell Declan,” his father had yelled at him. “Is this any way to treat your younger brother?”  _

_ “But it scared me, father,” Declan had said, hoping his father would understand. _

_ His father did not understand. Instead his father had gotten even more angry with Declan, looking at him with furious eyes. _

_ “Do you remember what I told you Declan?” he said, his voice as cold as ice. “About your brothers?” _

_ Declan nodded solemnly. _

_ “Tell me.” _

_ “I’m not special. My brothers are. My only purpose is to protect them.” _

_ “Good,” his father told him, a satisfied look on his face. “So now you’re going to go back to the living room, you’re going to pick up that notebook and you’re going to apologize to Ronan. Do you understand? _

_ “Yes father.” _

_ And Declan had done just that. He had gone back to the living room to find Ronan standing over the notebook with sad, angry eyes.  _

_ Declan had picked it up before putting his hand on his brother’s shoulder. _

_ “Thanks, Ro. I’m sorry for before. It’s wonderful.” _

_ Ronan had just huffed and pushed his brother’s hand away before walking out of the room. His eyes had been full of hurt. It had been the first time his younger brother had resented Declan and it had been the first time Declan had consciously told a lie. Things that would become normal for Declan soon after. _

* * *

Declan rolled on his side before opening the drawer of his nightstand. The notebook Ronan had given him for his 11th birthday was still in there, untouched, and just looking at it made Declan feel uncomfortable. It had been his first real experience with a dream thing, not counting Matthew, and it had changed him for life. Unlike the rest of his family, Declan held no love for the magical realm of dreams. It unsettled him, it always had. 

He slammed the drawer shut and let out a frustrated growl. Dream things were the reason his family had gotten so fucked up in the first place. They had always made everything worse.

* * *

_ Declan had not been around when his father was brutally murdered in their driveway, he had been away at Aglionby Academy. Unlike his brothers, he hadn’t mourned his father since he knew his father had brought this upon himself. Over the years, his father had taught Declan about the family business and instructed him to keep his brothers safe. He had told Declan about the dangers of said business, dangers that Declan would have to shoulder if something were to happen to him. It had been purely business. His father had seen Declan as a tool and Declan had been aware of it. Over the years, Declan had become numb to it. His father had made it clear that he was disposable, unlike his more special brothers, and perhaps he had been right. Declan was just a normal guy and he would never be anything else. _

_ After this father’s death, Declan had been forced into a parental role for his brothers. He had to decide what was best for his brothers, even if deep down he had no idea what that was. He also had to protect Ronan. He had to keep him hidden. The world couldn’t know he was a dreamer and it would be up to Declan to keep it that way. Declan was aware of what that meant. He would probably never be able to be Ronan’s friend again. He would have to be his guardian, even if that meant Ronan would hate him for the rest of his life. And he would burden that hatred because the idea of Ronan, and Matthew by extension, dying, was an idea that Declan could not stand. _

* * *

“Sacrifice.”

The word still burned inside Declan’s mind, along with the image of the Hanged Man. He had always made sacrifices for his brothers. He remembered how he had been beaten up by people looking for Ronan, just to keep him safe. How he had walked around with black eyes, broken noses and cut lips just to keep his brothers safe. Declan had always kept Ronan safe and Ronan couldn’t even tell him he was gay. He couldn’t even trust him enough. That’s what hurt the most and it made Declan angry at Ronan all over again, slamming his fist against the wall.

“Fuck you, Ronan,” he whispered under his breath. “I’ve always tried for you. I thought we were finally alright again.”

* * *

_ Declan kept tabs on both Ronan and Matthew. It was his way of keeping both of them safe and knowing if and when he had to step in. After Ronan had nearly died during his adventure with Gansey, having almost been unmade by a demon, Declan had intensified this habit. Not just for Ronan but for Matthew as well. Declan could still remember how Matthew had fallen to the ground, gasping for air while black goo had dripped from his eyes and mouth.  _

_ Declan had been terrified, he had felt powerless, he hadn’t done enough to keep his brothers safe and now he would lose both of them.  _

_ It had, luckily, stopped as quickly as it had started and Matthew had just blinked at Declan.  _

_ “You ok, Dec?” he had asked. “What’s this black stuff? I feel like I missed something.” _

_ “It’s okay Matty,” Declan had whispered, pulling his brother close even if it meant getting the black goo all over his expensive suit. “Don’t worry about it. It’s all okay now.” _

* * *

_ Declan had doubled down on watching his brothers after that and it had only taken a few weeks for one of his worst fears to come true. Ronan had dropped out from Aglionby, unceremoniously, by pulling a lot of attention to himself. Ronan had decided to go out with a bang. Now it was up to Declan to clean up the shrapnel.  _

_ Declan had gone down to the Barns, without Matthew, to talk to Ronan. To please ask him to reconsider. He would sort things out at Aglionby with him. He would help him get into a good college. He would pull the necessary strings but Ronan had flat out rejected all of it and told Declan he was going to be a simple farmer...And that’s when they had fought.  _

_ They had fought badly. Ronan had thrown the first punch but Declan hadn’t been able to resist punching Ronan back until they were both sitting on the porch, with bloody lips and noses, watching each other with intense gazes. _

_ “Status update,” Declan relented finally, as some sort of peace offering. _

_ “What the fuck Declan?” _

_ “You call me every Wednesday to tell me how you’re doing. I let you live here in peace.” _

_ “Fine,” Ronan had told him, nodding at him once but his eyes told a completely different story. They looked at him in a way they often looked at him, that Declan just didn’t understand and accept him. And Ronan was right on the first part. Declan didn’t understand his brother. He never had. _

* * *

And that’s when it hit Declan. He and Ronan hadn’t been “alright” for a long time even if things between them had improved slightly. Declan had disapproved of Ronan’s newfound lifestyle and while Ronan had always made him feel uncomfortable, Declan realized that he had always made Ronan feel unaccepted. 

Declan slammed his fist against the wall, again, cursing his father under his breath. He had left them both messed up in different ways but Declan did start to understand why Ronan hadn’t told him about Adam. In Ronan’s mind, it would have given Declan just another reason to disapprove of him. And while Declan had a lot of trouble wrapping his mind around what Ronan was, he did accept him. Ronan was still his little brother who he loved dearly and Declan wanted to keep him safe. The only problem was that Ronan, unlike Matthew, was incredibly difficult to protect and they always ended up fighting.

Declan swallowed at his realization. He didn’t like admitting he had been anything but perfect but perhaps he, too, should swallow his pride and talk to Ronan in the morning. If only for Matthew’s sake. Matthew hated it when his brothers were fighting and Declan didn’t want to cause him any grief.

He looked at the ceiling, the realization that he wouldn’t be able to sleep for a long time dawning on him. Not that that was new for him. He would think of a way to fix this mess, he had to. He just wasn’t sure how yet. 

And deep down, Declan supposed that there was a second thing bothering him. He had wanted to dismiss it, the fact that he was apparently going to die this year, but there was a part of him that did consider it as a possibility. If, and if was the keyword, those psychics had predicted Gansey’s death correctly, Declan was in big trouble and that was something he didn’t want to admit to himself.

* * *

**???**

And while the oldest Lynch brother lay in his bed, losing sleep to his troubled thoughts, something started to stir on the leyline. It was a dark creature, a creature that should’ve never woken up again and yet, started to do so.

“I will get rid of him for you, master,” it whispered before disappearing into the night, leaving only a single crimson feather behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for now! If you enjoyed it, make sure to let me know in the comments/leave me a kudo!   
> I'll be back soon with a very special chapter and I'll give on hint, it involves Pynch ;-)


	4. Cabeswater Returns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Ronan opened his eyes, he was no longer at the Barns. Instead he found himself in a place he hadn’t found himself in for a long time. Cabeswater. Or at least, a place that looked like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are with the third chapter! It's a tad shorter but that's because it's completely written from Ronan's PoV and he just has less words than his older brother!  
> There's also a pretty gruesome scene in this one, so yeah, keep on the lookout for that.

**Ronan Lynch**

Ronan couldn’t believe Declan had actually decided to stay after the shit that happened earlier. He had expected him to get a hotel and pick up Matthew in the morning but no, fuckin’ Declan had rudely decided to spend the night in his old room. 

Ronan had been tempted to go to Declan’s room to duke it out with him but he had run into Matthew in the hallway, his baby brother looking rather sleepy.

“Did you and Dec fight again?” Matthew’s eyes looked sad, he hated it when his brothers fought. Ronan smirked at the realization that “Dec” kinda sounded like “Dick” before putting his hand on Matthew’s shoulder.

“You know what he’s like,” Ronan answered and to his surprise, Matthew nodded. Matthew never took sides in their arguments but then again, maybe he was just acknowledging what Ronan said. 

“It’s late Matthew, you should be sleeping.”

“I don’t wanna, I want to stay up with you.”

This time Ronan did raise one of his eyebrows. It wasn’t like Matthew to protest like this and he was sure that even though Declan could be blamed for a lot of things, Declan would raise their baby brother well. Probably a little too well for Ronan’s liking.

“I’m going to bed after checking on Opal. I’ll be there in the morning. Promise.”

Matthew looked like he thought this over carefully before finally heading towards his own room again. “Okay.”

* * *

And that’s when Ronan went to Opal’s room to check up on her. It had been Adam’s turn to put her to bed tonight. Opal seemed to enjoy them taking turns but Ronan still wanted to say goodnight to her. His little dream girl had a special place in his heart.

He certainly hadn’t expected to run into a scene where Opal was clawing at Adam, refusing his attempts to put her to bed. 

_ “ _ Intrusus,” she was hissing.  _ Intruder. _

“She’s been like this for minutes now,” Adam said, sounding exhausted. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

Ronan was about to say something shitty to Opal when she saw him and seemingly calmed down.

“Kerah,” she said. “Can he leave?”

“That’s no way to talk to Adam,” Ronan stated, his voice annoyed before Opal shook her head.

“Not him. I like him. The other one. The evil one.”

And that’s when it hit Ronan. She was talking about Declan. He just didn’t get why. She hadn’t been there for their fight. 

“He’ll leave when he leaves. Can’t control the fucker.”

“I hate him.”

Ronan smirked at that confession. “Me too.”

* * *

Eventually Ronan and Adam managed to put Opal to bed before heading to Ronan’s room. Adam seemed like he wanted to talk but Ronan had told Adam he was too tired. Adam had sighed before kissing Ronan goodnight. Ronan had fallen asleep soon after that.

* * *

When Ronan opened his eyes, he was no longer at the Barns. Instead he found himself in a place he hadn’t found himself in for a long time. Cabeswater. Or at least, a place that looked like it.

Something was off though. There was an eerie feeling to the forest that hadn’t been there before. Not that that really mattered to Ronan. He had wanted to come back here. He missed this place, his place, and he soon set off to explore.

He eventually ended up in a clearing where he heard a scratching noise. Fuck. He recognized that sound. Nightmares.

Ronan whirled around, his entire body on high alert, before coming face to face with a bird-like creature unlike any he had seen before. It resembled his own night horrors but it was much more...sophisticated, clad in a suit and tie. The sleeves had been torn off, revealing the creature’s crimson wings. It’s talons looked like hands but one glance was enough to tell Ronan that the creature would easily be able to cut him open.

He had to get out. He had to wake up before anything bad happened... And that’s when the creature opened its mouth.

Ronan had expected a screech but instead it spoke to him in fluent English.

“Ronan. Don’t be afraid.”

Ronan was stumped. He hadn’t expected the creature to address him and there was something about the creature’s voice that was eerily familiar. 

Before Ronan could say anything the creature’s bird-like face morphed into something else. Ronan was pretty sure his mind blurred out the actual event because he suddenly found himself looking at his father’s face.

“I’m here to keep you safe.”

Ronan didn’t believe this. His dreams had played tricks on him before. This was no different. He knew this and yet...there was something about this creature. Something that reminded him of his father that made him feel safe.

“Dad…?”

Ronan could hardly recognize his own voice as the creature shook its head.

“No,” the creature explained. “But I was sent by him. To make sure you’re safe. That’s my purpose in life. To protect you from harm.”

“That’s rich,” Ronan scoffed. “Where were you last year then? When things went to shit?”

“Asleep,” the creature said, still using his father’s face. “I was woken up by your current feelings of grief. To get rid of the cause.”

“What?”

A wicked grin showed up on his father’s...or the creature’s face before it snapped its talons. The leaves swirled, obstructing Ronan’s eyes for a moment before Declan appeared in front of him. He looked hurt, his suit was torn to shreds and his face was pressed down in the dirt.

“Declan!” Ronan shouted before turning towards the creature. “What did you do to him?”

“Relax Ronan. He’s not real. Or at least, not yet.”

The creature’s voice had gotten colder than Ronan had ever heard his father speak. It unsettled him. 

“This is what’ll happen to him for hurting you. He needs to be punished for hurting his younger brother.”

“Don’t,” Ronan protested but it sounded weak. This was turning into a nightmare. He had to remind himself this wasn’t real.

“Not enough?” the creature asked, snapping its talons again with a wicked smile.

Ronan wanted to look away from the scene. He felt sick in his stomach. It was like a fountain of blood had exploded under Dream Declan. The exposed bits of skin were all dyed crimson. His brother’s normally perfectly controlled curls were sticking to his face, soaked in blood, and that’s when Ronan got a good look at Dream Declan’s face. 

He could not look away from him, the way he looked like he was in intense pain, groaning quietly. He looked like he was about to die.

“I’ll make it happen for you,” the creature told Ronan. “This is Declan’s fate and no one can stop it. It’s punishment for his disobedience as decreed by my master.”

“No,” Ronan shouted. “No. No. No.”

* * *

And that’s when Ronan opened his eyes in the waking world, shooting right up as he grabbed his chest. He was breathing heavily. It was good that he could move. That meant he hadn’t brought anything back. He hadn’t brought back...that thing.

“Ronan? What happened?”

Ronan’s eyes snapped to his side, towards the source of the voice, before he saw Adam looking at him with concerned eyes.

“You were shouting,” he stated, moving his hand until it was cupped over Ronan’s. Ronan’s hand was trembling. 

“Nightmare. About Declan.”

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

Ronan didn’t know if he wanted to talk about but he knew he could tell Adam. Adam knew about his dreams. Adam knew about what was special about him and Adam would never judge him for it.

And so he recounted the dream to Adam. How he had arrived in a place that reminded him of Cabeswater. How there had been a night horror that had turned into a creature that resembled his father. And about the dream version of Declan, dyed in crimson blood.

“It was fucked up,” Ronan concluded. “Really fucked up. It felt real. Almost like it’s fucking back.”

“I feel it too, Ronan,” Adam told him. “I’ve felt it since you fought with Declan. I offered to be it’s hands and eyes. It’s pulling on me again.”

“You mean…?”

“I don’t know what it means,” Adam sighed, his voice sounding a bit otherworldly. “But something has taken up the place that used to belong to Cabeswater. I’m just not sure if it’s Cabeswater.”

“I don’t actually want that dick to die,” Ronan blurted out. “I just hate that he...That he always has to fucking know better.”

“Declan has always been that way,” Adam told him, squeezing his hand. “And I know how...difficult one’s family can be.”

“But…?” Ronan could sense there was something Adam still wasn’t saying to him.

“We should’ve told him earlier. We talked about this. He looked hurt.”

“Fucker would’ve responded the same way. That’s why we didn’t tell him,” Ronan stated but deep down, he wasn’t sure. Maybe it would’ve been different if Ronan had gone along with what Adam had suggested. Adam had been trying to convince Ronan to tell Declan about them for weeks now. Especially after they had told Matthew. Matthew had been overjoyed at the news and it “hadn’t been fair” to hide that from Declan.

But Ronan had been afraid to tell his brother. Afraid that he would have rejected him and he had done exactly that. Declan had told him he would never approve of him and Adam and with Declan...statements like that were generally final.

“I think he’ll come around,” Adam told him. “But if he doesn’t, I don’t care either way. I’ll still be with you Ronan.”

And that’s when Ronan kissed Adam. It was a long, drawn-out kiss. Ronan needed comfort and Adam seemed very willing to give it. Adam always knew exactly what he needed. 

“I’ll try to go there again,” Ronan told Adam after they broke away. “To find out if it’s really Cabeswater.”

* * *

But no matter how hard Ronan tried, he was unable to access it again. It was like a barrier had been thrown up around the place. 

Eventually Adam had tried to scry into it. He had always been able to do that with the old Cabeswater due to his connection to the place.

“I can’t do it,” Adam said after Ronan pulled him back after his third attempt. “It’s like...there’s a barrier. Like those force fields in those sci-fi movies you like. I can’t get in. It’s like it doesn’t want us to get in.”

“Guess we’ll just have to go there then,” Ronan said. “To make sure it’s back.”

Adam nodded. 

“Do you want to tell the others?”

Ronan thought this over briefly before shaking his head. “No. Not yet. If this is related to my family then it’s my business. I’ll solve it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was my Pynch chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! I had a blast writing it.
> 
> As always, if you enjoy it, please let me know in the comments, leave a kudo and I hope to see you all next chapter!


	5. Disaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A realization hit him when he wiped the sweat off of his forehead. This must’ve been that magical forest Ronan and his friends went to. Cabeswater. Or at least, that’s what he thought it was called and for the second time in his life Declan allowed the discomfort to wash off him and revel in the fact that there was a beautiful side to magic too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back with another chapter and it's one that's filled to the brim with action.
> 
> I hope you're all more ready than Declan is, because Declan's Wild Ride is officially starting and it's not going to be pretty.
> 
> Updated the tags too, figured it was time to add some stuff.

Declan was annoyed, tapping his fingers on the dashboard of his Volvo. This morning had not been great. In fact, it had been rather challenging and weird. Two things Declan did not care very much for in his life.

* * *

He had woken up to Ronan and Adam sneaking out of the house after finally falling into something that resembled a light slumber, causing him to groan.

Declan was aware that this was none of his business but he couldn’t help but feel like he just had to follow them. They were being secretive. That was suspicious, not to mention potentially dangerous. Declan would know since he had grown up dealing with secrets and held a great deal himself. It was this knowledge that compelled him to find out more about whatever they were hiding.

And so he had quickly gotten out of bed, thrown on some easy clothes that he would never, ever, wear in DC. Declan did not wear black jeans or a gray sweater in DC. It still felt appropriate at the Barns, though, somehow. He’d rather not get one of his suits dirty and suits just didn't...feel right at the Barns. 

Declan hadn’t even done his hair before going after them, his curls loosely framing his face instead of being neatly combed back. It made him look younger, kinder and less mature. Declan didn’t like any of those things so he always made sure his hair matched the rest of his appearance, a carefully cultivated image that screamed boring, serious politician.

He heard them leave the house and set after them.

However, the moment Declan got outside he got attacked by a rooster. It had flown against him before it started pecking at his face and hair. He was momentarily worried that this event would blow his cover but the two boys had gotten into Ronan’s car before the BMW drove away.

“Fuck,” Declan muttered before slapping the rooster away and running towards his Volvo. Ronan was a fast driver and if he didn’t hurry up, he would lose them before his sleuthing could even begin.

* * *

Declan couldn’t help but notice that there was something weird about the Barns today though. He had never particularly liked the place but it seemed to actively dislike him now too. He had already been attacked by a rooster and it felt Ronan’s cattle was actually looking at him. Dozens of animals staring at him like they disapproved of him being here and were about to attack him. 

Declan shrugged this idea off before getting into his car. The lack of sleep must be getting to him. There was no way dream cattle would be aware enough to actively dislike him. He refused to accept that.

* * *

And that’s how Declan ended up following his brother’s car outside of Henrietta, praying he didn’t get a speeding ticket because he was driving way too fast...Or worse, what if he got pulled over for reckless driving? That was a misdemeanor and would end up on his record. Well, he could always get those records sealed or expunged but he would rather not. Declan didn’t like unnecessary hassles. Like driving too fast. It was bad for his car...And honestly, bad for his nerves.

* * *

They had gone quite far out of Henrietta when Ronan suddenly drove off-road. This caused Declan to swear loudly before giving his steering wheel a whirl, enabling him to continue following after his brother.

This was not a great day. He hated today. He had never driven off-road before and he hadn’t planned on starting to do so now. 

Luckily for Declan it hadn’t lasted very long because Ronan had soon stopped and parked his car. It only took a couple of seconds before he and Adam headed into what looked like a forest, causing Declan to realize he had to be quick. 

He parked his Volvo next to Ronan's BMW before heading into the forest himself. He knew that he would have to be careful. He would have to stay far enough away from the two boys so that they wouldn’t notice him but at the same time he had to make sure he wouldn’t lose them.

Still, that shouldn’t really be a problem. He was great at sleuthing. It was one of the perks of having to hold secrets and tell lies his entire life.

* * *

After Declan had wandered into the forest after Ronan and Adam, he slowly felt discomfort creep up on him. The further he got into the forest, the more dense and weird the trees seemed to get and the more he felt...watched somehow.

* * *

They had been walking for a while now, the two boys in front of him conversing and still seemingly unaware of his presence while Declan wondered how long they had been walking. 

He checked the Rolex around his wrist, only to find that it had stopped working. This was something Declan found very weird because he had gotten the battery replaced a little over a week ago. It should still be working. 

When he took a closer look he realized that the clock hands were still moving, they were just repeating the same minute over and over again causing Declan to sigh. It was probably broken and while it wasn’t like he didn’t have enough money to buy a new watch, he rather liked this one.

* * *

Things honestly just got weirder from there. While the trees had matched the season, early spring, at first, it seemed like they were getting increasingly summer-y as Declan followed the two boys deeper into the forest. It was getting rather hot too, eventually causing Declan to pull his sweater over his head and tie it around his waist, leaving him in just an undershirt.

A realization hit him when he wiped the sweat off of his forehead. This must’ve been that magical forest Ronan and his friends went to. Cabeswater. Or at least, that’s what he thought it was called and for the second time in his life Declan allowed the discomfort to wash off him and revel in the fact that there was a beautiful side to magic too. The only other time when he allowed that feeling was when he was with Matthew. 

Declan looked at the trees blossoming around him, feeling the impossible summer sun on his skin and felt strangely content. So content that he didn’t realize Ronan and Adam had reached a clearing in the middle of the forest. A clearing he walked straight into while they were standing still.

* * *

“What are _you_ doing here asshole?”

Ronan’s angry voice snapped Declan back immediately, causing his eyes to land on his younger brother in front of him.

Ronan was trembling with fury.

Now that Declan had stripped down to just his undershirt, they actually looked kind of alike. One could see the brotherly resemblance. A realization which made Declan feel kind of uncomfortable.

“Declan may have a good reason…-”

Declan could hear Adam’s attempt at calming Ronan down but Ronan just raised his hand before launching himself at Declan, grabbing his undershirt.

“How dare you follow us here? First you’re shitty to me about my relationship and now you’re spying on me? You’re disgusting.”

There were a million things Declan could and should have said at this point. Like how he had followed Ronan because he was worried about him. How he had spent his entire life protecting both of his brothers and that he wasn’t about to stop now. 

Instead he grabbed Ronan’s wrist, twisting it until his little brother let go of him before pushing him backwards.

"I’m just making sure you don’t do anything stupid,” he scoffed, feeling the anger from the night before resurface in his chest. “Sorry to interrupt your little forest date.”

“That’s it, you asshat. I’m going to make you regret that,” Ronan roared before tackling Declan to the ground, punching him square in the face.

Declan wanted to fight back, pushing Ronan off him and getting ready to get up to properly fight Ronan.

It had been a while since they had had a proper fist fight.

But that was when he found out that he was unable to get up.

“What the hell!” He yelled before noticing a vine had wrapped itself around his lower leg, pinning him to the forest ground.

“What’s wrong Dicklan? Broke your leg?” Ronan sneered before his eyes widened, the cocky smirk falling from his face when a second vine appeared to wrap itself around Declan’s other leg.

* * *

Declan knew he had to stay calm when he saw his brother mouth multiple curse words in rapid succession, pushing down the feeling of fear that was building inside his chest as he tried to free his legs, yanking at the vines with his fingers. The vines wouldn’t loosen though. In fact, they only seemed to tighten their grip around Declan’s legs, ripping through the fabric of his jeans as he could feel the thorns press into his skin.

“Ronan, this isn’t funny,” Declan yelled, unable to completely mask the fear in his voice. His brother had to be in control here. This was his forest. He had told Declan as much when Declan had forced an explanation out of him after Ronan, and Matthew, nearly got unmade.

“It’s not me that’s doing this asshole,” Ronan shouted back before rushing over to help him. Declan hadn't expected this. He had expected Ronan to just leave him to suffer but Ronan seemed to have a different idea.

Together they managed to loosen one of the vines but to their horror, more vines appeared from the ground the moment they did so.

These new vines had sharper thorns than the ones that had tied Declan down and they were lashing at him, seemingly ignoring Ronan, cutting into his arms and causing the exposed bits of Declan’s skin to bleed.

“The forest is angry,” Adam stated, looking at the brothers in an otherworldly way which scared Declan. “We have to get him out of here, Ronan. It wants to kill him.”

* * *

And that’s when Declan could feel all the fear he had suppressed spiraling out of control inside of him.

He had wanted to deny the prophecy of his death but it seemed like it was actually happening.

It was happening right now and that’s when Declan knew what he had to do. It was his duty as an older brother.

He had always been prepared for this.

“Ronan, just leave me here,” he said, causing Ronan to slap him.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” his brother shouted at him angrily while yanking at the vine that still chained Declan to the ground. “I still have to beat you shitless for shitting on me and Adam.”

And that’s when Ronan succeeded, freeing Declan and pulling him to his feet. Declan felt wobbly, the thorns had pressed deep inside his legs, but when he noticed one of the bigger vines lashing at him and Ronan he pushed his little brother out of the way before it rammed right into him. He could feel the thorns press into his arm before it sent him flying into a nearby tree. Declan gasped when his back hit the tree, the air being forced out of his lungs before he fell to the ground.

* * *

“Declan!” Ronan yelled before getting up and rushing over to his side. Adam hurried over to them as well, urging them to get a move on.

Declan’s world was spinning in front of his eyes. His head hurt, having been slammed into the tree. His arms hurt, remnants of the thorny vine stuck inside. His legs hurt. Was this how he was going to die? Unceremoniously slaughtered by magical trees?

He closed his eyes, wondering what his father would think but he didn’t have to think for very long. His father would’ve told him he deserved this.

“Declan, snap out of it you dick!” Ronan yelled at him grabbing his arm. “Stand up. We have to get out of here. We’re going to save your sorry ass, come on.”

* * *

And that’s when everything just...stopped. The vines that had continuously assaulted Declan disappeared back into the ground, leaving the two brothers and Adam in an empty clearing.

“Ronan,” Adam said, offering additional support to Declan when it became evident that just Ronan’s support wasn’t enough. “Let’s take Declan home.”

* * *

They had left the forest after that, Declan leaning on both Adam and Ronan for support until they were back in the spot where they had parked their cars.

No one had said anything during the entirety of the walk back but the tension had been obvious. Unspoken, heavy tension that could be cut with a knife.

“I can’t believe I never saw your Volvo,” Ronan muttered before turning to Declan, examining him before crossing his arms. “There’s no way you can drive back.”

Declan was going to protest. He wasn’t about to let Ronan drive his Volvo, but to his surprise Adam spoke up.

“How about I drive Declan home?” 

The look on his face was indescribable but Declan somehow knew that he couldn’t refuse. Something Ronan confirmed when he just nodded at Adam before turning to Declan.

“You better not be a dick to him. I will find out and make you wish you died back there.”

Ronan got into his BMW after that, driving away and leaving Declan with Adam.

* * *

Neither Declan or Adam said anything when they entered Declan’s Volvo.

It felt weird, having a semi-stranger drive his car while he was sitting in the passenger seat but at the very least Adam seemed like a responsible driver. Better than Ronan at least.

“You lost your sweater,” Adam pointed out, breaking the silence and causing Declan to nod. He felt uncomfortable around Adam, like he could stare right into Declan’s soul and see through the carefully crafted mask. “It makes you look a little like Ronan.”

“I’m sorry,” Declan said after a while, finding himself unable to respond to Adam’s comparison. “About...what I said about you and Ronan.”

“It’s not me you have to apologize to,” Adam stated. “But I understand why you did it.”

More silence.

“Do you love my brother?”

Adam looked at him before raising an eyebrow. “Yes. Every part of him. Ronan’s a special person with a very good heart.”

There was yet another silence before Adam spoke again.

“Do you?”

Adam’s question felt like a slap in the face. Of course Declan loved Ronan. He didn’t always understand him and he certainly didn’t agree with everything his younger brother did but it had never been a question whether he loved him or not.

“Yes.”

Adam looked uncertain for a moment, a hint of hesitation in his eyes before he said: “You two need to talk. While we were in Cabeswater I got a sense that whatever’s happening right now is directly related to how Ronan perceives you.”

Declan could feel his heart sink when Adam said that. He had suspected it, but it really did seem like all of this had been happening because Ronan hated him and it hit Declan harder than he expected. Of course it had been about the two of them. Declan had accepted Ronan’s hatred for him a long time ago. He just never expected it to try and kill him.

* * *

Declan and Adam stayed silent for the rest of the ride back, or at least until Adam had parked Declan’s Volvo next to the BMW.

“He cares more about you than you think.”

Those were the last words Adam said before Ronan ripped the door to the passenger seat open. It seemed like he had been waiting for them to get back. He looked more than a little tense.

“Fucking finally, you two took forever,” he exclaimed before turning to Adam. “Declan wasn’t rude was he?”

Adam shook his head causing Ronan to relax before extending his hand to Declan. Declan was fairly certain that hand would've ended up in his face if Adam had nodded instead.

“Let’s get you cleaned up. You look terrible.” 

There was a smirk on Ronan’s face when he said it. He probably enjoyed seeing Declan looking quite undone.

Declan just hoped that he would be able clean himself up before he ran into Matthew. He had to think of a convincing lie too. He could probably just say that he had gone for a run and tripped.

“Oh you guys are finally back!”

Both Lynch brothers froze. Matthew’s voice. It only took them a second to realize that he was standing right in front of them, waiting for them on the Barns’s front porch

“Think of something,” Ronan hissed to Declan, his arm wrapped around his older brother’s shoulder so he wouldn’t fall over.

“Hey Matty, it’s not as bad as you think, don’t you worry, okay?” Declan said immediately and instinctively, crafting the rest of his lie in his head. 

Declan didn’t like to lie to his little brother but he had learnt the hard way that lying was often a necessity. He would wait for Matthew's initial reaction before deciding which story to go with this time.

“Declan probably hurt himself because he was being a dumb-dumb, right?” Matthew laughed with his usual child-like innocence, causing both Declan and Ronan to look at him in shock.

Out of all the possible reactions Declan had prepared for, this wasn’t one of them.

Matthew had never been dismissive of Declan being hurt, ever. In fact, the last time Declan had hurt himself back in DC Matthew had insisted on nursing him back to health.

Not to mention the fact that he had addressed Declan by his full name. Matthew would always call him Dec, it felt wrong now that he didn’t. He had even called him dumb. Matthew had never called him that before.

* * *

And that’s when Declan noticed that there was something off about Matthew’s eyes, like they were clouded somehow, but before Declan could get a good look at his baby brother he had gone back inside.

“We’re going to get you cleaned up,” Ronan told him. “I’ll check on Matthew. He’s probably just shocked by your injuries.”

But Declan could hear in Ronan’s voice that he was just as stumped as he was. Any bite or enjoyment at Declan’s predicament was gone.

It wasn’t like their baby brother to act like this and it made Declan feel a sense of dread that he hadn’t felt before.

Something was coming...and whatever it was, it seemed like it was affecting Matthew.

* * *

Declan bit his lip while he made a promise to himself. He would protect his brothers and keep them safe from whatever was happening. No matter what it would take.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go. I hope you all enjoyed that chapter! It took me a while to figure out the flow but I hope it turned out well in the end! It was a blast to write at least!
> 
> And while we may be at the halfway point, things are just getting started so stay tuned for more! Declan and his brothers aren't out of the woods yet ;-)


	6. Horrors of the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looking back, that had been the moment where he should’ve accepted the reading as the truth. Instead he had decided to deny it vehemently, because he couldn’t face the truth anymore. Declan was too used to the lies he told other people...but more than that, he had gotten too used to the lies he told himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am again with another chapter! Took me a bit longer than usual because I was starting a new job over the past week but I am back now with my longest chapter yet!  
> It's over 4000 words so you can be sure that a lot will happen!
> 
> I hope that you all will enjoy it, so without further ado, let's get back into the action shall we?

**Declan Lynch**

Luck was one of the many things Declan Lynch, up until today, did not believe in but he was sure that he had gotten lucky now. Sure, he had ended up with bad bruises and cuts that covered his entire body but at least that was all the forest had done to him. 

Ronan had deposited him in the bathroom with a first aid kit after they went inside the house, his younger brother stalking off immediately afterwards. Declan could hear Ronan curse loudly in the hallway after slamming the door shut, leaving Declan on his own.

Declan knew that he would have to find him later, because even though he didn’t want to admit it, Adam had been right. He needed to talk to Ronan for multiple reasons. One of them being the fact that, despite Declan’s perceived dislike of him, his younger brother had just saved his life and he needed to thank him for that…

Another reason being that Declan needed to apologize about the things he had said the day before. Theoretically. Whether that would actually happen was still very much up in the air.

But first, he needed to freshen up and bandage his injuries. He stripped off his clothes and threw them straight in a trash can. His sweater had gotten lost in the forest already and what was left of his clothes had rips and holes in them. There was no way he would be able to fix them so he might as well throw them out. He could always buy new ones.

When he took a glance at his reflection in the mirror Declan grimaced. To say he looked like a mess would be the understatement of the year. There was dried blood all over his body and he was covered in cuts of various sizes. He looked like he had been in some kind of crazy fight and he supposed that in a way, that was true. He just hoped it wouldn’t scar. Because if it did, he would have to explain said scar to people and how do you explain being attacked by magic trees? 

You didn’t so Declan would have to lie about it. Not that that was a problem for him but he’d still rather not have to bother with it in the first place.

Declan stepped back until he could feel a cold wall against his bare back, taking a deep breath when he could feel some of the leftover fear bubble up inside his chest. If it hadn’t been for Ronan, he wouldn’t be standing here anymore. He wouldn’t be standing at all.

And while those thoughts raced through his mind he realized he had stepped into the shower, turning on the hot water and letting it rinse the blood off of him. It felt good, the water sliding down his naked body but that was the only thing it did. Making his physical self feel good. 

Because while Declan wanted it to wash away the fear and emotions that plagued his mental mindscape, it didn’t work. The hot water might be able to fix his appearance but it was powerless to fix what was going on inside of Declan’s head.

* * *

All Declan could think about was how scared he felt. How he was properly afraid of what was going to happen next and how he had no roadmap for this. This was uncharted territory and he hated it. There was no point denying it anymore. He was going to die. Ronan had only delayed the inevitable by saving him but he hadn’t stopped it from happening.

He thought back to the night before, to the moment where the psychics and Adam had predicted his future. He remembered Calla showing him a card that represented his past and how she had referred to him as a lost boy. If only she knew how right she had been. 

‘No’, Declan corrected himself, she had known how right she was. He had seen it in the expression on her face that she knew that he had always felt like a lost boy at the Barns. How his father had taken every single opportunity to remind him of that. That, that was the truth about how Declan’s life had been and Calla had known.

Looking back, that had been the moment where he should’ve accepted the reading as the truth. Instead he had decided to deny it vehemently, because he couldn’t face the truth anymore. Declan was too used to the lies he told other people...but more than that, he had gotten too used to the lies he told himself.

The next card had represented his present. Maura had interpreted it as a warning and Declan realized that she must’ve been talking about the events that had transpired earlier. The forest trying to kill him must’ve been the warning. Whatever was going on wasn’t over. It was only just beginning.

Declan slammed his fist against the shower wall when the realization hit him. The final card, the hanged man, represented the sacrifice he would have to make to end this cycle of events and it would be the only way to make it stop.

* * *

And that’s when, for the first time in years, tears fell from Declan’s eyes, mixing together with the hot water that ran down his body. 

He realized that he wasn’t ready to face the very thing he would soon have to. He had instinctively wanted to sacrifice himself in Cabeswater to save Ronan but now that he had had a chance to think about it, he realized he did not want to die. 

He wanted to live a long and happy life. He wanted to make things right with Ronan. He wanted to glue together his broken family. A family that his father had tried to break for as long as Declan could remember... 

All Declan had ever wanted was to feel like he was a part of something...and now, he never would.

* * *

Declan allowed the water to run down his body for a long time, losing himself in his thoughts and misery before he eventually forced himself to get out of the shower. He bandaged his arms before wrapping a towel around his waist and making his way back to his room. 

It was surprisingly quiet. Declan had expected to hear Matthew’s voice or maybe even that little dream creature of Ronan but there were no sounds. It was like he was alone at the Barns for the first time in his life. Declan didn’t like it.

After entering his room, Declan got dressed for the second time today. Putting on a sweatshirt and a pair of loose pants he found in his old closet. He didn’t like wearing clothes like this but he supposed that it would be best to wear loose clothing in his injured state. 

He sighed before he sat down on his bed. This was all really messed up and he just hoped they would be granted some form of reprieve before things would inevitably start up again.

* * *

And surely Declan’s wish was mostly granted. The rest of the morning and the afternoon at the Barns were rather uneventful, apart from a persistent weird feeling that seemed to radiate throughout the entire house. It was the feeling that Declan had felt in the early hours of the morning when he went after Adam and Ronan. The feeling that the house actively disliked him and it seemed to get more intense as the day progressed. 

He kept getting into small accidents like bumping his head on a doorframe, tripping over a floorboard and falling over, water splashing in his face when he tried to fill a glass. It was weird and while Declan reasoned that all of this had to be coincidental, he had a harder time believing that than he would have a day before. If Ronan’s feelings were the root of these events, perhaps his brother could subconsciously turn the Barns against him too. It was within the realm of possibility, even if the very idea of something like that seemed absurd to Declan.

Speaking of Ronan, Declan was unable to find him. It was like he was gone completely. Or maybe he was just avoiding his older brother. This was also a serious possibility. Especially since Declan knew that they were pretty much the same when it came to having difficult conversations. Neither of them liked having them. It was one of the reasons they always ended up talking with their fists instead.

* * *

Declan eventually went back to his room to mull over the events of the day, tired of searching for Ronan and laying on his bed until he started to feel rather hungry.

“Declan. Food!”

It was like Ronan had sensed Declan getting hungry, or maybe it was just because it was evening and they all needed to have dinner. 

Regardless, Declan got up, took an antacid so he could actually stomach his dinner, and went to the kitchen where he was immediately greeted by the smell of greasy pizza. He was immediately glad he had taken an antacid because his stomach certainly did not like pizza, even if the taste was somewhat agreeable.

* * *

The atmosphere in the room was as tense as it had been before. No one said anything as they sat down at the dinner table, one person on every side. 

Declan was about to take a bite of his slice when someone kicked him under the table.

“Ow,” he groaned before he got kicked again causing him to let out another pained groan. 

Declan could hardly believe Ronan would be petty enough to kick him under the table but he quickly he realized that it wasn’t Ronan who was doing it. It was Matthew.

“Quit it Matthew, it’s not funny,” Declan said sternly but Matthew just grinned at him before kicking him again.

“No.”

“Matthew Lynch, I told you to…-” 

But before Declan could finish his sentence, his baby brother threw himself at him from the other side of the table, causing Declan and the chair he was sitting on to fall backwards before Matthew landed on top of him.

And that’s when Declan got a proper look at Matthew, seeing the red mist that had clouded his eyes before and causing Declan to realize that their break was over. The thing that had caused the forest to attack him, the thing that seemed to turn the Barns against him...It was affecting his dear baby brother now. One of the two people he cared the most about in the world.

“I hate you,” Matthew snarled, his cheerful voice now sounding rather psychotic, as he placed his hands around Declan’s neck and spitting in Declan’s face. “You always hurt Ronan. You’re the worst older brother. I hate you.”

And even though Declan knew that this wasn’t the real Matthew talking, the words caused his body to go numb. He knew Matthew was going to choke him to death if he didn’t fight back but if he was going to die...He might as well die at Matthew’s hands. He couldn’t fight back against his baby brother. He wouldn’t be able to hurt him. He loved him too much.

“What the hell Matthew,” Ronan yelled, pulling Matthew off of Declan and allowing Adam to help Declan to his feet. “I know Declan’s a big dick but that doesn’t mean you should just try and kill him.”

“But he hurt you,” Matthew protested, his voice still sounding unlike himself. It was like his baby brother had lost his mind. “He always hurts you and he has to pay for that.”

* * *

And that’s when all four of them heard it. Scratching noises. Noises that made Ronan and Adam turn pale and exchange panicked glances. Panicked glances that Declan was able to see as well.

“What’s going on?” Declan demanded, his voice still shaking from the fact that Matthew had just tried to kill him. “Talk to me Ronan, what’s happening.”

“Night Horrors…” Ronan whispered but before Declan could ask what that even meant, the door burst open, revealing a monstrous crimson bird in the doorway. 

The creature wasn’t the only one either, Declan could count at least a dozen more black ones standing behind it, stalking around the Barns. They were trapped. There was no way out and it seemed like everyone in the room was aware of it.

“This isn’t fucking possible,” Ronan muttered, his voice filled with anger and disbelief. “I didn’t take you back with me from my dreams. You can’t fucking be here. You’re not real.”

And that’s when the creature’s face morphed into his father’s, causing every single hair on Declan’s body to stand up. He never expected to see his father’s face again and he certainly hadn’t expected to see it again like this. He could feel himself go numb. This wasn’t possible and yet...it was happening right in front of his face.

“Dad!” Matthew cheered excitedly. “You came for him, didn’t you? You came to take my bad brother away!”

“He’s not our father,” Ronan hissed to Matthew before turning towards the creature, seeming slightly more in control of his emotions than Declan was. “What are you?”

“I told you already, Ronan,” the creature responded, voice eerily close to their father’s. “I’m your father’s will. Your protector. I’m here because you willed for me to be here. To make sure you’re safe. Safe from him.”

The creature stretched out one of its talons before pointing it at Declan.

“Someone’s been a very bad boy, isn’t that right, Declan?”

“I don’t talk to monsters. Especially not those that impersonate my father,” Declan responded, forcing himself out of his numb state. His voice was trembling because even though he knew he had to find a way out of this, he also knew that there likely wasn’t one. He would settle for the next best thing then. Finding a way to get his brothers out of this.

“That’s alright, I don’t need you to talk,” the creature said, using the dismissive tone his father had often used with Declan. “I just need you to understand that there are consequences to your actions.”

“Consequences?” Declan asked, noticing that Ronan had pulled out his phone before slipping out of the room. He was probably calling for help. All Declan could do was provide a distraction to give Ronan a chance. Or maybe the bird had noticed and it just didn’t care. That was also a possibility. Still, he had to try and besides he wanted to satiate his own curiosity too. He wanted to know what the creature meant. What it wanted. 

“What consequences?”

“Punishment,” the creature told him. “You need to be punished for your disobedience. You were given one job by my creator. A job that you failed at so many times that you are no longer necessary.”

“That’s not true,” Ronan said, having entered the room again. Declan had to hand it to his brother, he was even better at sleuthing than he was. “Sure Declan’s the biggest prick I know but he does try...I think.”

“Your opinion is irrelevant. Declan’s fate has already been decided...and if he refuses, well…”

That’s when they heard multiple slashing noises, along with cries from Ronan’s dream cattle causing the brothers to look at each other in fear and disbelief.

“We’ll make all of you suffer until he does.”

* * *

Declan could see the look of horror on Ronan’s face when his dream creatures were slaughtered and that’s when he knew what he had to do. His brothers didn’t deserve to suffer because of him and this way, this way he would be able to offer them a way out.

“We’ll fight you,” Ronan protested but Declan stepped forward, putting his arm in front of Ronan as if to stop him.

“If I go with you willingly, will all of this stop?” He asked. “Will you promise that my brothers, their friends and this house will be safe?

“Declan you can’t be serious.” Ronan protested but the creature nodded at Declan, seemingly pleased by this turn of events.

“On your father’s grave,” it said before holding out it’s hand to Declan. “Come along then boy.”

“Not yet,” Declan said, shaking his head. “I need to prepare myself first.”

“Fair enough,” the creature responded. “30 minutes and don’t try to escape, you won’t get very far and well, you won’t like what I’ll do to little Matthew if you do.”

* * *

Before Declan could leave the room Ronan turned towards him, his face contorted with anger but it was more than that. There was concern, worry and disbelief in Ronan’s expression as well.

“You can’t be serious Declan,” he hissed, his voice low. “They will kill you. You will die. You’re not Gansey, there’s no coming back from this.”

“It’s the only way Ronan,” Declan said as if it were a fact. It wasn’t like he wanted to die but if he didn’t do this...He couldn’t imagine what these creatures would do to his brothers and he couldn’t be responsible for that. He would save them. “You know that’s the truth. It’s the only way to keep you and Matthew safe.”

"But..."

* * *

Declan pushed Ronan away, he couldn't have this conversation, before heading to his room to put on his most expensive suit. His suits had always been like his armor. They had always allowed him to protect himself and his brothers from harm. They made him feel safe and besides, if he was going to go out. He was going to go out in style. 

After undressing, his eyes fell on the black notebook Ronan had once given him and while he had always felt repulsed by it, he picked it up now. He no longer felt afraid of it and he wondered why he ever had. Ronan could create beautiful things...and Declan should’ve accepted that a long time ago.

A tiny Ronan had once explained to him how the notebook would capture his thoughts and because of that Declan pressed it against his bare chest, right on top of his heart, hoping that it would be able to record a message for both Ronan and Matthew when they found it. Declan had a way with words but he hoped that the book would be able to phrase the love he felt for his brothers in a way he never could and that it would give his brothers some closure. That they would know how Declan, their older brother, had always loved and cared for them even if he didn’t always show it.

He let out a long sigh after he was done, putting the notebook back on his bed before he put on his suit and headed back towards the room where the creature was waiting.

* * *

And surely, it was still waiting. It was like no time had passed at all. Ronan and Adam were still standing there in disbelief. Matthew was just...standing there. It was like he wasn’t even alive anymore. It unsettled Declan greatly. The creature was still there, hand outstretched, waiting for Declan to grab it and Declan knew that there was one more thing he had to do before resigning himself to his fate, looking at his brothers and Adam.

“Please, let me say my goodbyes,” Declan told the creature that resembled his father and to his surprise, the creature nodded. It even took one step back to allow Declan and his brothers some privacy.

Declan walked up to Matthew first before wrapping his injured arms around him. Matthew tried to push him away but all Declan did was tighten his grip around his baby brother.

“Matty, you really are one of the few lights in my life and these past months in DC were the best months in my life, having my precious baby brother close to me. You’ve really grown up and I’m happy I was able to experience all of that. I love you. I never say that, but I do. I love you so much”

Matthew’s body stilled against Declan’s momentarily, the mist that hung over his eyes clearing for a moment while he whispered “Dec.”

It only lasted for a moment before Matthew bit his arm, forcing Declan to let go.

“This is what you deserve, Declan,” he told him, his eyes filled with the hateful mist again, but Declan was happy that he had been able to experience his Matthew for a brief second. His angelic baby brother was still in there somewhere. He said a silent prayer, hoping that Matthew would go back to normal after all of this was over. After Declan had given the creature what he wanted...Him.

* * *

Declan turned to Ronan next, wrapping one arm around him. 

“Ro, I’m sorry for all the grief I caused you. I do love you and I’m sorry for making you think otherwise. Take care of Matthew for me.”

Ronan just looked at him and nodded. He wasn’t okay with this turn of events. Declan could see it in his eyes. Ronan had always had honest eyes. 

“I’ll never forgive you for this,” Ronan muttered and all Declan could do was put his hand on his brother’s shaved head before turning to Adam.

“Take care of them for me. They’re your responsibility now.”

And that’s when Declan turned towards the nightmare of his father, his face filled with the pride he felt for his brothers. He wouldn’t break. He would keep this feeling of pride with him until the very end. Declan did not want to die but if he had to die to keep his brothers safe, he would make this decision over and over again.

“Go on. Take me. I have made my choice.” 

Every single word was filled with silent determination as he took the hand...or talon, the creature held out to him. When he touched it, the world went fuzzy around him until he felt forced to close his eyes.

* * *

When Declan opened them again, he found himself in what must’ve been the clearing where the vines had attacked him. It had changed considerably though. It looked like a courtyard now. A courtyard in the middle of a dark castle. A castle made out of trees that were towering all around him.

“And now,” the creature told him, using a voice that was even colder than his father’s. A voice that sent a chill down Declan’s spine. 

“The ritual begins.”

* * *

**Ronan Lynch**

_ “Ro, I’m sorry for all the grief I caused you. I do love you and I’m sorry for making you think otherwise. Take care of Matthew for me.” _

Those had been the last words his older brother had said before he disappeared along with the creature. Declan hadn’t called him Ro in years. Not since his father had passed away and then fucking Declan had dared to tell him he loved him before sacrificing his stupid ass just to keep him and Matthew safe. Ronan couldn’t stand it. He hadn’t even been able to tell Declan how stupid he looked when he said that and now...Now he would never be able to.

Declan was going to die and it was his fault. He knew it was. The creature had told him as much. This was to because he had fucking wished for Declan to disappear and now his wish had been granted. Declan was gone.

“Fuck!” Ronan yelled before dropping to his knees, a worried Adam almost immediately crouching down next to him while Ronan’s emotions took over.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” Ronan continued yelling while starting to punch the floor below him. This was just like a nightmare...except that this time, he wouldn’t wake up.

* * *

**Blue Sargent**

Blue and Gansey had been at 300 Fox Way when they received Ronan’s distressed phone call and from the way he had been speaking, both she and Gansey had realized that they needed to get to his side as soon as possible. They needed to go back to the Barns.

Her mother and Calla had insisted on coming along as well, sharing a knowing look between the two of them that Blue found suspicious. Her mother didn’t keep secrets from her and yet...she didn’t recognize this look. It worried her and she couldn’t help but feel like it was related to all of this somehow. There was no time to question that now though, they needed to get to Ronan and they needed to get there soon.

* * *

When they got to the Barns, Blue immediately noticed something was off. The entire driveway was a mess, the front porch was damaged and most importantly, the door was wide open. Something had happened. Blue just hoped that they weren’t too late to stop it.

She and Gansey rushed inside the house, followed by her mother and Calla, but Blue wasn’t prepared for what they found inside.

Ronan was on his knees punching the ground beneath him with bloody knuckles while Adam was crouched down next to him, trying his hardest to get him to stop. 

The most absurd person in the room, however, was Ronan’s younger brother Matthew. Matthew was happily sitting in one of the dining room chairs, rocking back and forth with an almost twisted smile on his face, watching all of this unfold in what looked like sheer happiness. 

It unsettled Blue greatly but not as much as the moment when Ronan looked up at them, causing her to flinch. She had never seen Ronan like this.

“They fuckin’ took him,” he murmured, his void devoid of any emotion. No, that was wrong. Ronan's voice wasn’t devoid of emotion...he just sounded really sad. Had Ronan been crying? She could hardly believe that.

“Who took who, Ronan?” Gansey asked, crouching down on the other side of Ronan while putting a hand on his shoulder. “What happened?”

“They took Declan,” Ronan answered very quietly, allowing Blue to finally identify the emotion in Ronan’s voice. It was complete and utter defeat and it had broken Ronan’s usual demeanor. 

“He’s gone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...that escalated quickly, didn't it? Poor Declan...and Ronan...and everyone else really but what can I say? I love leaving things on a cliffhanger ;-)  
> I will hopefully be back soon with another chapter but I may take a bit longer again due to having to get used to my job's schedule. 
> 
> As always, I hope that you really enjoyed it! If you loved it and you haven't done so already, feel free to leave me a kudo. It always warms my heart when I see them ^.^   
> I would love to hear what you guys thought too, so please leave a comment if you feel so inclined. It's always very motivating to read through comments!
> 
> And with that, I bid you guys goodbye for now. See you next chapter!


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